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It's nearly beyond comprehension how someone as personally magnetic as Sinatra could so convincingly sing songs of melancholy and loneliness. Though his albums with Nelson Riddle's arrangements may have been more popularly famous, Sinatra rarely found more suitable accompaniment than the semi-classical orchestral arrangements of Gordon Jenkins. This second collaboration between Sinatra and Jenkins, released in 1959, features the same beautifully engineered stereo as 1957's "Where Were You?" Also as heard on the '57 release, Jenkins supports Sinatra's inconsolable sadness with arrangements that are both sparse and lush at the same time. He leaves plenty of space for Sinatra's vocals, but underlines the lyrics with brooding orchestral strings and woodwinds and shades in the mood with bluesy touches of piano. "Stormy Weather" features low-strings as thunderclouds and violins that drip along with the foul-weather mood. Sinatra displays his gift for lyrical transparency - his ability to tell a story that happens to be attached to musical notes - throughout the album, but hits a highpoint on "Why Try to Change Me Now?" The lyrics exert such an emotional pull that you'll need to listen a second time to even notice the melody! Ralph J. Gleason's original liner notes are a wonderful love-letter to Sinatra, and Pete Welding's contemporary notes provide valuable career context for the album. This CD reissue adds a quartet of bonus tracks to the original eleven, including one recorded for the original album (but dropped for technical reasons), "The One I Love (Belongs to Somebody Else)," that is deservedly reunited with its session-mates. The remaining three additions are Sinatra/Riddle collaborations whose themes dovetail nicely with the album's blue sentiments. Tracks 14 and 15 are mono. [©2005 redtunictroll at hotmail dot com]Read full review
This is gloomy "saloon" Sinatra at his best - the perfect companion to "In The Wee Small Hours," "Where Are You" and the later "September Of My Years." Get those too, pick one, sip some fine scotch, listen and pine for The One That Got Away...
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
siinatra at his best, singing saloon songs
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
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